Running for, with and sometimes away from my family

Turning disappointment into determination

Let’s talk disappointment. When you are pushing to achieve your goals and working really hard, there is nothing worse than feeling like you are getting nowhere. Not to mention how demoralising it can be when you have made your goals and plans public and you seemingly have nothing to show for it. Oh the shame. Well guess what? No one thinks any less of you. They only want to support you to keep going.

Change takes hard work and commitment

It’s only you thinking that everyone has enough time in their lives to be pondering how you could be trying so hard and not achieving what you want. Most of them are probably sitting there thinking “me too, thank God I’m not alone”. You are simply proving that change takes hard work and commitment. It is never as easy as some people make it look. Don’t let their achievements fuel your disappointment in yourself.

I made a new plan this week around getting some extra work outs into my week. I am struggling to make time at home because Mr LMR got a Fitbit for Christmas and had commandeered my early morning time slot. This is fine as I wasn’t using it at the time and he is really doing well. Which in turn makes for a happier monkey house. However, it leaves me with fewer options myself.

Can you exercise with a toddler on your back?

I prefer to exercise first thing to get over my Willpower problems later in the day. But without another pair of hands in hand I am left with exercising with the monkeys in situ. To date I have resisted this because they tend to stop any form of exercise happening which is stressful and causes more disappointment when I have to abandon what I am doing. It also requires me to carefully extract my head from underneath Little Miss monkey’s sleeping body without waking her, sneaking downstairs and getting through a workout before they all get up demanding breakfast.

I tested my theory yesterday and undertook a workout on my day off, I had a rare time slot because Little Miss’ swimming lesson was cancelled. I set her up with things to do and snuck off to the kitchen. 5 minutes into my 20 minute Joe Wicks Fat Burning session on YouTube, she appeared. “Whatcha doin mummy?” “Exercising” I replied. To which she came to join in dressed as Anna from Frozen. I thought “ok this could work”. Until…

I didn’t give in to disappointment

After she discovered that jumping lunges are quite difficult to coordinate (as did I) she decided to entertain herself with waiting until I was flat on the floor mid burpee to jump on my back shouting “horsey, horsey!!!” “Brilliant” thought I. And so it continued. Some parts worked well (sitting on my back during cool down stretches actually helped lengthen them at times) others not so much (running around and jumping on my stomach during tricep dips shouting “Crab! Crab!”) Still I did it and didn’t give in to disappointment.

Here’s the thing. Completing a 20 minute HIIT workout and 12 minute cool down with a toddler using you as a climbing frame is better than doing no workout. I guess I am super cautious these days as I am so afraid of injury. However, everything I have done in the last 12 months has been motivated and guided by the rebuilding of my confidence that I won’t do it again. (Despite evidence to the contrary.)

It isn’t just about the scales

Yes I am disappointed that the scales aren’t yet moving as fast as I would like despite the numerous changes I have made since January. However this just means I need to do more and I have to take that disappointment and turn it into even more determination. So I have made another Smart Plan I have selected my workouts, I have assessed my hurdles and the only thing standing in my way is me. I guess I’m doing it then. Expect some pictures of toddler assisted press-ups coming soon to instagram.

2 Comments

You’re doing brilliantly! Just remember that there are other people out there (me!) who are motivated by your motivation. You’re doing what I have been saying for ages I need to do. I have been doing what’s on the top of your smart list – changing nothing and nothing happening. Actually that’s a lie. I signed up to one exercise class a week (2 weeks ago) and I’ve subsequently signed up to do two more a week at home via videos on a closed Facebook group who will hold me to account). Now to sort the diet. It’s just so hard working full time with two toddlers…. but as you’ve shown… where there’s a will there’s a way! Keep going lady!Topfivemum recently posted…Living Arrows 13/52 {2017}